Self-adjusting fracture reducing device



April 2, 1946- i M. G. HARDINGE y 2,397,545

SELFfADJUSTING FRACTUR REDUCING DEVICE Filed Feb; 13, 1945 l' 'l i MERVYN G. HARDIN GE lqNvENToR.

ATTORN EY.

Aing device of the character fragments toward Patented Apr. 2, 1946 1 2,397,545 SELF-ADJUSTING FaAcTUaE REDUCING DEVICE Mervyn G. Hardinge, Loma Linda, Calif. Application February 13, 1945, Serial No. 577,609

9 Claims.

My invention relates to fracture reducing devices and has particular reference to a device especially adapted for the reduction of intertrochanteric and femoral neck fractures.

In the treatment of many bone fractures, it has been the practice to employ pins, screws and the like for the purpose of holding the distal and proximal bone fragments in accurate alignment with each other and with the hope that the ends of the fragments will be sufficiently close together asy to permit the rapid knitting of the fragments together. 2,381,050 issued August 7, 1945, I have described and claimed one form of such fracture reducing device comprising essentially a bolt-like member adapted to be inserted into a bore penetrating into the two bone fragments, the 4inner end of the bolt structure ybeing expanded to grip the proximal fragment and a nut arrangement being provided upon the bolt to draw the Ytwo fragments into tight abutting relation with each other.

In many fracture cases, however, it occurs that there is an absorption of the bones at the abutting fragment ends, with the result that nails,

In my United States Patent No.

bolts or other means which have heretofore been used for the reduction of such fragments while holding the fragments in alignment with each other, actually hold the ends of the fragmentsl apart when such absorption occurs.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a fracture reducing device which is not only adapted to initially draw the bone fragments into close relation with each other, but is adapted to be automatically self-adjusting while in place within the bones to take up for any spacing which f `may occur as a result of the bone absorption.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a fracture reducing device of the character described wherein the fracture reducing device comprises a bolt and nut structure adapted to grip the proximal fragment and to draw the distal fragment intoabutting relation therewith by spring tension, permitting the yielding of the devicein a direction tending to draw the bone fragments together and wherein means is provided for preventing yielding of the device in any other direction.

Another object is to provide a fracture reducset forth in the pre'- ceding paragraph wherein a spring is employed for'the purpose of constantly urging the bone each other and wherein an over-riding clutch mechanism is employed to permit yielding movement of the device tending to contract the bone fragments toward each other but preventing elongation of the `device when any force is exerted tending to drawA the bone fragments away from each other.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a study of the following specifications, read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a typical femur having a fracture at the connection thereof and illustrating the manner in which my fracture reducing device may beemployed therein;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the fracture reducing device shown in Fig. 1 and illustrating theparts thereof in their initial positions ready for insertion into the bone fragments;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the bone fragments shown in Fig. 1 and through my fracture reducing device illustrating the position of the parts thereof when fixed within the bone fragments;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3l and illustrating the positions of the parts of my fracture reducing device when there has been absorptionof the bone at the abutting ends of the fragments;

Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of the clutch employed as a part of my fracture reducing device; and

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, I have illustrated myl fracture reducing device as employed for the reduction of fractures of the neck of the femur. While in the following description the successive operations and relative positions .of the parts of my fracture reducing device will be described with reference to the treatment of such a fracture, it will be understood by those skilled in this art that my device may be used for the treatment of other fractures wherein there is a tendency of the muscles surrounding the bone or movements of the patient to alternately exert forces tending to press the bone fragments together and to spread them.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the upper end of a typical femur I having a fracture as indicated by the line 2 at the junction between the neck and body portion of such bone, the neck or proximal fragment 3 being illustrated inthe' position it should assume when it is brought into abutting relation with the distal fragment 4 in the "treatment or reduction of the fracture.

into the bore 5, the fracture reducing device pref-i erably comprising a pair of telescopically assembled tubular members 6 and '1, the member Ai5, for

purposes of distinction herein, being referred to as the inner member or proximal fragment en-v gaging member while the member 'l may beI defined as an outer member'or distal fragment engaging member.

The inner member '6 is preferably formed with itsextreme inner end threaded or grooved as indicatedV at v8 and provided with a plurality of slots 8 extending from the extreme inner end to permit the inner end portion of the member 6 to be expanded vlaterally toY grip the interior surface offthe bone bore lying within the proximal frag- I ment or'head of the femur. Io expand the mem- Yber 6 into such gripping relation, I prefer to provide a screw I0 extending longitudinally through .the member 6, the inner end of the screw lli being provided .with threads' as indicated at II tothreadedly engage an expander vor wedge memi ber I2 preferably constructed in the shape of a truncated cone having projecting laterally from its side a projection I3 having a width such that c it may` slide in one of the slots 9 toprevent rotation of the wedge I2 when the screw lo is rotated to draw the wedge inwardly of the member 6 inthe expanded operation.

The ,screWrIO is fixed against V,longitudinal movement within theY member 6 as byforming a reduced diameter portion I4 thereon over which is placed an abutment member I 5 illustrated particularly in Fig; 6 as a substantially U-shaped piece of :metal adapted to be inserted in a transverse slot I6, formed through'the member 6, the

intercoupling of the screw IIJ and the member by the abutment I5 permitting substantially free rotation of thescrew I0 within the member e, but

preventing -any relativelongitudinal movement between them. The outer end of the screw lo may be formed with a slot Il by which a screw driver or other tool may'engage the screw for the purposev of vrotating the same.

The outer member 'I is preferably constructed as a hollow tube insertable within a longitudinal bore I8 extending from the outer end of the inner member '6 but which terminates-immediately adjacent the threaded and expandable inner end thereof, the length of the portion of the outer `member 'I telescopically assembled within the bore" I8 being such that the Vassembled members have. sufficient rigidity to oppose any lateral forces exerted upon them and thus oppose and prevent anyA lateral displacement of the boneV fragments relative to each other.

The outer end of the member 'I is preferably of an enlarged diameter so that its outer surface 3is Hush with the outer surface of the inner member 6 so as to snugly fit within the bore 5;

The extreme outer end of the outer member l ,is providedA with any suitable head-like structure which *will engagev thev exterior surface of the Ydistal fragment 4 so thatfa spring I9 interposed between the screw c I I) and the outer member l will constantly urge the telescopica-Hy assembled members 6 and 'I toward a contracted position and thus tend to constantly urge the bone fragments into close abutting relation with each other. The particular form of head illustrated herein comprises a substantially oval-shaped plate 26 preferably hingedly secured to the outer member? as by means of providing an aperture 2| through which the outer end of the member I may extend, the plate v2l) having ears 22 which project into transverse openings -23 formed in the member 'I to define a pivotal hinge connection.

The diameter of the aperture 2| should be considerably in excess of the external diameter of the member 'I to permit the placing of the plate 20 at. various angles to the longitudinal axis of the outer member 'I so that irrespective of the ansle between the axis of the bone bore 5 and the outer surface of the distal fragment 4, the plate 20may be disposed against this surface throughout its length and may be secured thereto as by means of a screw 24 extending through a hole 25 in the plate 26 andinto the distal fragment 4. Y

The spring I9 which urges the members and 'i toward their contracted position preferably has one of its ends bearing upon an inturned end wall 25 formed upon theinner end of the outer member I while the opposite end of the spring I9 bears against a clutch member 26 having a shape illustrated particularly in Fig. 5 as comprising a substantially cylindrical metal collar having a plurality of longitudinal slots 2'I extending from its outer end to permit radialexpansion Vand contraction.. Theeouter end of the screw, I0 passes through a centralb'ore 28in the clutch 26 and has adjacent its outer end a tapering enlargement 29 which, as the spring urges the clutch member l26. outwardly, along the screw I0, will expand the clutch 26 into grlppingrelation with the interior surface-3l) ofthe hollow outer member 1. Thus the spring I 9 not only acts to constantly urge the telescopically assembled members 6 and 'I toward their contracted position, but also urges the clutch member into its expanded position, causing the clutch member to act to rigidly oppose any elongation of the assembled members As illustrated particularly inFig. 3, the operation of placing my fracture reducingV device into the bone bore comprises insertion of the Y assembledmembers 6 and I into the bone 'bordi until the plate 20 bears against the outer surface of the distal fragment 4. The screw I0 is then rotated to cause expansion of theinner end of the member 6 to grip thefproximal fragment 3, the spring then acting to draw the fragments tightly together. 'Ihe screw 24 is theninserted to hold the plate 26 in its position against4 the outer surface of the fragment 4.

Assuming that during the healing process there is a tendency for the bone to be Vab'sorbedat the line of fracture, the two fragments are constantly drawn toward each other to take up for any such absorption by the action of the spring I9. 'I'his contracting motion is aided bythe effect ofthe muscles surrounding the bone fragments which tend to draw the fragments together and is 4also furthervaided by anyy movement vof the patient which wouldk tend to. place weight upon lthe femur, such as the action of standing .or walking. However, if any force is exerted on the bonefragments tending to oppose the action of the spring, theeffect will be only to` more tightly insert the tapered enlargement 29Y of the'serew, I-Il'nto the clutch member 26 and thus to cause the clutch member to grip the outer member 1' and prevent elongation of the assembled members. 'The 'nature of the clutch 26 is such, however, 'that it does not oppose contracting movement of the members 6 and 1 relative to each other but only acts to oppose elongation or extension of these members.

After the healing process is completed, the fracture reducing device may be removed from thev bore as by removing the screw 24, unscrewing the screw I0 to permit the expanded threaded portion 8 of the proximal engaging member 6 to contract or collapse and the entire device may then be removed merely by rotating the assembly to break it loose from any bone processes which have accumulated about the assembly. If the expanding Vend of the proximal engaging fragment 16 is threaded rather than roughened or grooved, it will be apparent'that such rotation or movement will unscrew the assembly from the bone bore 5.

To facilitate rotational movement of the inner member B'by forces exerted upon the outer member l, I prefer to provide an elongated slot 3| in the outer member 1 and to project thereinto an inwardly struck finger 32 struckfrom the inner member 6 to so interengage these members as to prevent relative rotation between them.

It may' be desirable during either the operations of inserting or removing the device from the bone bore to move the members 6 and l to an extended position against the force of the spring lll and while such movement would normally be opposed by the action of the clutch 26, the clutch may 'be manually disengaged as by projecting vagainst the outer end of the clutch member 26 a tubular device which will pass over the outer end of the screw I0 and press the clutch 26 inwardly along the. screw I0 or, as illustrated in the form of the device shown in the drawing, a clutch disengaging collar 33 may be assembled upon the outer end of the head of the screw I0 adapted to vextend a sufficient distance outwardly of the bone boreto permit the collar to be pressed inwardly -by the engagement therewith of any suitable pressing tool, the action of the collar 33 being to engage the outer end of the clutch 26 and press it inwardly, thus permitting the clutch 26 to conytract sufciently to disengage the outer member 1 and allow it to be moved to an extended position, projecting out of the bone bore.

If desired, a lateral extension of the slot 3l maybe formed at each of its ends, as indicated at 3m and 3io, whereby a slight rotational movement is permitted between the inner and outer members to engage the finger 32 when the members are in either their fully extended or fully contracted positions to thereby facilitate the insertion of the fracture reducing device into the bone bore while it is locked in either the extended position or the contracted position, Whichever appears tc the surgeon to be most suitable.

It wi11 therefore be seen that I have provided a fracture reducing devicein which the members 6 and 1 provide ample support for holding the bone fragments in alignment with each other sufficient to permit a patient to resume normal activity substantially immediately after the reducing device has been inserted,`while the device is automatically self-adjusting to hold the fragments in abutting relation with each other during the entire healing operation irrespective 'of the fact that some absorption may occur at the fracture line.

While in the form of the device illustrated and described herein, the spring performs a double function of urging the two telescopic members toward their contracted position and urging the clutch member into its engaged `clutching relation with the outer member, it will be apparent that the primary function of the spring is that of actuating the clutch toward its engaged position and, if desired, a relatively short and light spring may be substituted, yfunctioning solely to urge the clutch to disengaged position, in such case the activity of the patient being de,- pended upon for moving the telescopic members toward their contracted position while the clutch prevents any elongation of the fracture reducing device. y

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to any of the details of construction shown or described herein, except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a fracture reducing device, a pair of `elongated members for insertion into a bone bore extending into two or` more adjacent bone fragments, said members being telescopically assembled one upon the other for longitudinal movement relative to each other between a contracted position and an extended position, means on one of said members for engaging one of the bone fragments, means on the other of said members for engaging the other of said bone fragments, and clutch means intercoupling said' members for substantially free movement toward said contracted position and opposing movement of said members toward said extended position.

2. In a fracture reducing device, a pair of elongated members for insertion into a bone bore extending into two or more adjacent bone fragments, said members being telescopically assembled Ione upon the other for longitudinal movement relative to each other between acontracted position and an extended position, means on one of said members for engaging one of the bone fragments, means on the other of said members for engaging the other of said bone fragments, clutch means intercoupling said members for substantially free movement toward said. contracted position yand opposing movement of said members toward said extended position, and spring means interposed between said members and acting upon said clutch means `fornormally urging said members toward their `extending into two or more adjacent bone frag-l kments, means on one of said members for expanding one end of said member into gripping relation with the interior of that portion of the bore disposed in the proximal fragment, means on the other of said members for engaging the exterior surface of the distal fragment, clutch means mounted upon the first of said members and disposed lwithin the other of said members. and means for expanding said clutch means into engagement with the interior of the other of said members, said expanding means being disposed to normally expand said clutch means into said engaging relation and being releasable upon relative movement of said members toward their contracted position.

4. In a. fracture reducing device, a pair of tu- 

